Wise as an Owl!
I got a new neighbor. And it’s been such fun watching her grow. Believe it or not …. this little darling is a baby! She’s taken an intense interest in what’s happening in the neighborhood. It’s enchanting and a little disarming to open the door and see her sitting on my railing just a few feet away, staring into me with her big, black, portal eyes.
The baby barred owl goes by a variety of names in my household: Lizzo, Gracie Lou Lou, Owlfred, Owl Pacino
Hooty, Princess Owlita, Baby O and Owler, to name a few. I’ve decided it’s a girl, but I don’t know why – there’s absolutely no evidence to back that theory up.
She has an awesome owl house that my neighbor built with shingles, windows, a perch and everything a homeowner could want. Not long after the newly minted house was hanging (and the scent of human hands dissipated), a couple moved in. Shortly after that … a baby appeared!
Watching her grow, get fed by her parents, learn to fly and now hunt has been a special treat. And even though she’s been here for a while, I’m thrilled and always a little surprised every time I see her.
One day, I came back from the store and began hauling three bags of groceries up the steps. When I got closer, Baby O was there on my railing. She caught me off guard and I said “Whoa” out loud! There was a momentary stare down before she flew off to the nearest tree and continued to follow my activities with eager anticipation … but I have to say, no offer to help.
The mother is almost always nearby while dad is a less frequent visitor. But he keeps a watchful eye. He’s even warned my neighbor – swooping down to attack his head, as he walked past and got too close.
I’m fascinated that a bird the size of an owl can fly so quietly. They sit for a long time watching the world and move from tree to tree in near silence. If only I could move so stealthfully.
According to Mental Floss, they do fly more quietly than other birds. In fact, owls worldwide are considered among the quietest of flying bird species. There are reasons for this. First, their wing proportion helps them keep the noise level to a whisper. Owls have large wings and small bodies, which makes it easier to take one quiet flap and then glide. Whereas pigeons, for example, have small wings in relation to their bodies, so they have to flap like mad to move forward. This movement creates turbulence and, thus, more noise.
In addition to the owl’s large wings, a unique feather structure has evolved to help dampen sound further. Their wing feathers are serrated and all feathers have a soft almost velvety texture, both of which help break up the air flow and muffle sound.
Of course, this noiseless flying gives them an advantage when hunting. The quiet movement prevents their prey: mostly small rodents like mice, voles, squirrels, gophers, and even skunks, from hearing them. Their expert hunting skills also benefit me.
My home is surrounded by trees and I’ve struggled to manage a persistent mouse problem. They took residence in my garage a few years back and were a challenge to get rid of … but not anymore! The neighborhood owls took care of that issue. And, I’m thrilled to take care of the problem naturally for free.
I was interested to learn that owls don’t drink water. They get all they need from munching on their prey.
Other fascinating owl facts include:
Most owls can rotate their heads about 270 degrees.
And day or night, they have excellent vision and hearing, picking up the sounds of small mammals on the ground beneath them.
Barred owls are a large species; adults measure 16 to 25 inches long with a wingspan of 38 to 49 inches. The name, barred, comes from the stripping on their feathers.
It’s rare among owls in general, but barred youngsters stay close to the nest for about six months and are often seen with mom close at hand.
They have a typical life span of four or five years and usually maintain the same territory year after year … sometimes staying put for generations.
I often hear them calling to each other at night; mostly warning others of a predator, claiming and protecting territory and of course for love. Barred owls tend to mate for life and typically only seek out another love if their first mate dies.
They are considered to be powerful vocalists; their calls can carry over a half mile. They generally hoot more than other types of owls and the sound has been depicted as having a laughter-like rhythm. People often describe the call as if these owls are saying: Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you?
It’s believed that Harriet Tubman imitated their unique call to signal those travelling the Underground Railroad, heading north to seek freedom. She was an avid naturalist and used different calls to tell those in hiding if it was safe to move or better to stay put.
Originally, barred owls were only found in the eastern states. But over the last 100 years, they began expanding their range westward. These giant birds made their way across Canada and began showing up in the Pacific Northwest. Beginning in the 1980s, serious problems occurred between barred owls and the smaller, already endangered, spotted owl. They both chose old growth forests as their preferred home and many spotted owls were driven from their territory by their more aggressive cousins.
But the barred owl’s appearance in the west was largely due to mans’ activities: massive logging operations, global warming, aggressive land development and wildlife suppression. Fears of spotted owl extinction prompted biologists to recommend killing half-million barred owls. Controversy continues to swirl around that decision.
Psychics and mystics tell us spotting an owl means a spirit guide is protecting you and good fortune is ahead. And they say, it’s a reminder to tap into your own wisdom and intuition and see things with clarity – at times it’s a warning to be discerning about other people’s intentions. In some Native American cultures it’s believed owls are the bridge between our world and the afterlife.
They are often portrayed as wise, that intense stare giving them an intellectual look. Artists sometimes depict them donning glasses and even graduation caps, but owls are not top of the class in the bird world. The most intelligent bird in the world are the owl’s arch enemy – crows. (Ravens, Keas, Parrots and Magpies are also whip smart).
Scientists do not consider owls to have above average intelligence. Their brains have been studied and skills tested in captivity. The wise owl myth may have sprung from western cultures where pictures of the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, (Athena) is frequently portrayed alongside an owl.
Despite the difference in brain power, owls and crows are enemies. And this rivalry appears to go back generations. Families on both sides seem to be genetically imprinted with a dislike for the other. Research has shown that newly fledged crows instinctively hate owls and vice versa. Crows tend to hassle owls in the day, as they are resting but come nightfall the tables turn.
I got to see this rivalry firsthand. One day, Baby O was sitting on a pole outside my house staring directly into my living room. (Probably wondering what I was having for lunch.) When suddenly, a crow swooped in and took a missed swipe at the baby. Out of nowhere the mother owl darted in and chased that crow away, following him until well out of sight. The poor baby looked stunned and hid under the porch for several minutes before taking her place in a nearby tree. It all happened in a split second and I was fortunate to catch the spontaneous drama and very happy Baby O survived. With a little luck, I’ll get to watch her grow to full adulthood and eventually have chicks of her own!
